As the week of climate action known as Beyond Extreme Energy came to a close in Washington, D.C. on Friday, activists blockaded the entrance to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) building for the fifth day in a row in a final push to fight the commission’s approval of fracking projects around the country.

People also marched to the D.C. Department of Transportation building to demonstrate against policies that activists say will expand the use of coal, oil, and gas exports in Pennsylvania.

Activists locked themselves to each other to form a human chain in front of one entrance to the FERC building, while others linked arms or held up massive banners displaying the faces of families living in communities affected by fracking. A special team from the Department of Homeland Security was called in to cut off locks and make arrests, according to posts on social media.

“FERC doesn’t work!” protesters chanted.

@PopularResistance posted this photo on Twitter, captioned: “Homeland Security confused about how to handle protestors lying on the driveway of @FERC in #FERCblockade #BXE”

Actions Continue Next Week

While Beyond Extreme Energy was scheduled to end on Friday, other environmental action groups plan to keep the movement going, with at least one organization announcing an action to take place on Monday at Cove Point.

Stopping Extraction and Exports Destruction (SEED), a coalition representing mid-Atlantic groups fighting energy extraction and exports, called for protesters to join a sit-in at a Cove Point construction site owned by gas company Dominion.

Protecting Our Waters congratulates all the demonstrators, organizers and supporters. The spirit, creativity and collaboration shown by these grassroots activists is tremendous! It embodies the rising tide of commitment to protect our climate and our communities.

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